Friendship or Love?
by JennieBlue
Summary: Eric and Calleigh had been friends for years, and friendship had turned into love. Eric grows impatient waiting for her to admit she loves him, so he sets off on a mission to make her his.


This was written for the challenge on the Fanfiction Critique Group (which I strongly urge everyone to join if you want to improve on your writing). Elements included...under 4000 words, PG-13 or lower, favorite song, favorite male character, and the words 'it was stranger than fiction...'.

Disclaimer...I own nothing recognizable. Unfortunately.

Friendship or Love?

Eric sighed as he sank into a patio chair on his condo balcony. Propping his bare feet up on the railing, he stared out at the view below him as he sipped the beer he held in his hand. The sun was just beginning to go down, casting an orange glow across the horizon. Little by little the lights of the city were coming on, lighting up the night as the sun had earlier brightened the day. The soft strains of a country song could be heard from the condo next door. Eric recognized it as Mark Chesnutt's 'Rollin With the Flow'. Country music wasn't his thing, but this song he liked. Blowing out air between his lips, he gripped his shirt in his hand and fanned the material back and forth, trying to cool himself off in the cloying summer humidity.

As always happened when he was at home alone, Eric's thoughts turned to Calleigh, his stunningly beautiful green-eyed blonde co-worker and best friend. And as always, his lips turned up into a soft smile and he leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable as the thoughts consumed him.

A thoughtful look crossed his features as his mind flashed images of her. In each picture she was smiling that smile she usually gave him when she was happy, feeling carefree. In some of them she was turning to look at him, her honey blonde hair flowing around her shoulders, her eyes lighting up as she greeted him with that smile. In the one that made his heartbeat quicken, she smiled and whispered his name… "Eric". It was the day she cut her finger on a piece of glass at a crime scene. The mere memory of it sent a rush of warmth through his body, causing him to shudder. He shook his head to clear the sensuous haze he found himself in and smiled wryly.

Eric thought about the debate he'd had with Speedle several years ago. Speed maintained that men and women could not be friends without sex getting in the way. Eric had vehemently opposed him, saying that he was wrong. After all, he'd told Speed, he and Calleigh were best friends and sex had not gotten in the way. But Speed had only laughed at him, shaking his head as one would do at a truly clueless person. Eric remembered Speed's parting words as he'd left the lab, still shaking his head. _'One day, Delko…one day, you'll understand what I'm getting at. You and Calleigh cannot be just friends.'_

Now it was Eric that shook his head as he realized that Speed had been right. Speed had known back then that there was something between him and Calleigh. _'It's stranger than fiction,' _he thought to himself, _'that we're in love.' _Oh, she had yet to admit it verbally, but he was sure of it…he was just waiting for her to accept it herself.

Friendship turned into love, that's what it was. They'd started out as friends, and over the years had grown so very close. They loved each other, that was for sure, but the love they felt wasn't a friendship kind of love any more. Calleigh had shown him in so many ways lately that she loved him in the same way that he loved her.

Eric smiled warmly as he remembered waking up in the hospital after being shot, realizing that Calleigh's cross necklace was in his hand. He remembered the look on her face, the stark worry in her eyes, the tears that swam in those beautiful green eyes that she refused to let fall down her pink cheeks.

That rush of warmth was back as he remembered how she kissed him on the cheek when he'd thanked her for helping him so much that year. And he felt the flutters in his stomach as he reflected on the smile she gave him when he pulled the piece of glass from her finger. Remembering the way she whispered his name pulled at his groin, making him moan softly. He took a long swallow of his cold beer to help cool himself down.

But it was more than just smiles and whispers of his name; he knew from her actions that she loved him. When he'd been sick with the flu a few months ago she'd been at his side, taking care of him, nursing him back to health. She came to check on him before work, and came directly to his place after work, staying with him until he'd fallen asleep. She made soup for him, from scratch, and made sure he took his medicine. Truth be told, he loved it when she played nurse for him. It made him want to stay sick forever.

When his niece had a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, a place that was, to him, an adult's version of hell on earth, he'd asked her to accompany him, so that a visit to that place would be less hellish…and she'd agreed. She'd even gone so far as to help him select the perfect gift for his niece, and had enjoyed playing the silly games as much as he had. Yes, it had to be love if she was willing to go with him to that Godforsaken place.

The more he thought about how much he was sure she loved him, the more he wanted for them to be together, and the less he wanted to wait. He was growing impatient. He didn't want to wait any more to make her his, he didn't want to wait any more to be able to hold her intimately, to tell her he loved her.

So he was going to do it. _'That's it,'_ he thought to himself as he drained the bottle of beer and placed it on the table next to him. _'I'm gonna do it.' _With a determination he hadn't felt in a long time, Eric got up from the chair, dumped the bottle in the trash, slipped on a pair of shoes, grabbed his car keys, and left. He was on a mission.

A short time later he was at her condo, parking his car in a visitor's space. He'd seen her car parked in her reserved slot, and he was confident she would be alone. At least, she wouldn't be there with Jake. Although she hadn't said so, he knew they were no longer seeing each other. Jake hadn't been around in months, and Calleigh hadn't mentioned him once in that time. And she no longer left work at the end of her shift, but stayed later than she needed to most days.

Eric alighted from his car with a purpose, determined to make Calleigh his that evening. He strode quickly toward the main doors of the condo building, and strode just as quickly to the bank of elevators that would take him to her floor. He wasn't really sure what he would say to her, hoping that it would just come to him when he saw her.

As the elevator slid open on her floor his heart began to thump in his chest. He was nervous alright. What if she said no? What if she threw up roadblock after roadblock? What if she said they could only be friends? He was at her door. _'Oh God.'_

Eric rang the bell, certain that she'd be able to see his heart thumping in his chest. He looked down at his chest to see if it was beating through his skin and shirt. The door opened. _'Oh God.' _Heart pounding and palms sweating, he looked up quickly.

And his breath caught in his throat. She stood in the open doorway, a vision even in a pair of well worn jeans and figure hugging t-shirt, blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail. The surprised look on her face was quickly replaced by a warm smile, and then a softly whispered "Eric". There it was again, that way she whispered his name, and Eric knew then, knew that tonight…tonight would be a good night. No, better than good…for tonight _it_ was going to happen.

And it gave him the courage he needed. Without a word, Eric stepped forward and grasping her face gently between his hands, he boldly kissed her. His kiss was possessive and willful, and to his endless joy, after a slight hesitation, she returned the kiss with abandon.

Her soft moans were music to his ears, sounds he knew he'd never forget, and when she raised her arms to wrap around his neck, pressing her petite body against his, Eric wrapped his arms around her waist, slowly lifting her off the ground.

Calleigh's feet dangled a few inches above the ground as he moved them into her home, kicking the door shut behind them. _'Yes, Speed was right,'_ Eric thought as he kicked the door shut. He did understand what Speed meant all those years ago. He and Calleigh would not be able to remain just friends. Because, even back then, there had been more between them than just friendship. There had also been love.


End file.
